


Glacialis

by hanyuuuuu



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Medieval Sorcerer AU, Sasuke's a badass, Sasuke's got 99 problems and his social awkwardness is all of them, swords and magic yay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:35:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22801876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanyuuuuu/pseuds/hanyuuuuu
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke, the last of his clan, journeys through the land in search of a new home. Tired of living in icy solitude, he sets his course southward. In the warmer lands, the dark haired man with the strange swordfighting style sticks out, drawing the attention of the town’s military forces. Cheerful Uzumaki Naruto isn’t what he claims to be, and Sasuke’s past will come back to thrust him straight into the heart of a dark conflict tearing apart the land.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26





	Glacialis

The sunlight trickled down through the trees, turning the forest floor into a dappled mix of colors. The wind was light and carried the slightest bit of warmth on it. Faint birdcall sounded through the fresh leaves, all the buds unfurling in the early spring sun. 

In the cool shadows of the trees, the shadow of a man flickered past. 

Sasuke moved quickly and surely, dodging rocks and fallen branches. Glancing up at the sun, he estimated he had another few hours before it set and plunged the land into darkness. After the long winter, the light and warmth was welcome. He was unsure of his destination. His old home, much further in the northern mountains, had become increasingly barren over the years. Many moons ago, a wave of sickness had swept through his clan and nearly wiped them out, leaving only him and his elder brother unscathed. The first years were tough- but the years after were the happiest of Sasuke’s life. He remembered the warmth of his brother’s smile, the gentle hands that guided him, and the safety he’d felt sitting next to him by the fire while the wind howled outside. Itachi taught him how to hunt, how to survive.

All that changed in an instant- a bear attack killed Itachi and ripped the last shreds of love and hope from Sasuke’s life. It had been four years since then and the pain was still fresh in Sasuke's mind. Out of stubborn refusal to change, he stayed put in the same hunting grounds that he shared with Itachi, a little bit away from the site of their clan’s old village. The cave which had sheltered them both for so long suddenly felt much colder. 

Sasuke had buried his elder brother close to their home and sat vigil over the grave for many long nights, seeking comfort but finding only the biting wind. 

The years after Itachi left him were awful. The climate worsened and any feeble attempts at cultivating crops ended in failure. Animals slowly migrated away from the unforgiving ravines of Sasuke’s home and towards the warmer lands of the south. 

Sasuke was stubborn, but he was no fool- after the last particularly harsh winter, he knew it was time to move on. His clan had never been nomadic, and as much as he wished to continue living as his ancestors once had, he knew he’d be joining the ranks of the dead sooner rather than later if he stayed in this place which even the old gods had forsaken. 

That winter, he pooled his supplies in preparation for setting out. He waited until he could hear the snowmelt dripping down the rocks- a good sign that spring was coming and the traveling would get easier. As he waited, he readied himself for what was sure to be a long, arduous journey. He gathered nuts, dried berries, and cured endless strips of meat, passing the long hours of the winter nights slowly. The old ghost village of his clan felt forbidden to him- the brothers had always avoided it out of respect and to avoid being overwhelmed with emotions and old memories. 

He’d combined some of his and Itachi’s worn furs into one long, thick cloak. His dark shirt and pants would have to do- traveling on foot for weeks meant the less he carried, the better. Sasuke hoped to leave the sadness of his past behind and maybe, just maybe, feel content and at peace, far away from the graves of his clan. A sword, a dagger, and a flask were the essentials- everything else, he’d have to cram into a pack and carry. As soon as he could, he’d set out. Even though he was still tied to this place, he’d hardened his feelings and was as prepared as he could be to set out and leave the past behind.

In the fresh, green forest, he stopped for a moment at the base of a large tree. He leaned back. The strenuous traveling had worn him out. Sasuke longed for a warm place to sleep and to feel the bond of sharing hot food with another human. He was used to being alone, but the memories of the times with his family and especially his brother still burned as bright as an ember in his soul. As he leaned back against the tree, memories came flooding back to him. 

That day had been bitterly cold. In the winter of his twelfth year, the clan had finally deemed him old enough to learn the ancient ways of the elders: the ability to control fire as if it were a living beast, sent to do his commands. The age-old tradition made use of the magic that flowed in the blood of certain clans on this earth, and the Uchiha’s affinity to fire gave them the ability to wield it like a weapon, creating great blazes out of the palms of their charred hands. It was a valuable weapon, rare amongst the sorcerers, and prized for its combat ability as well as everyday use. Theirs was a unique class of sorcery, one which could not be learned by outsiders. The Uchiha clan had been the last of the pyromancers, and their numbers now had dwindled to just one.

Sasuke had been so eager to learn the skills embedded in his history, bursting at the seams with excitement to become as skilled as Itachi one day.

The Uchiha tradition was carried on in secret, kept alive only within their remote community in the northern lands. It allowed the clan to survive in the barren wilderness where other men would perish. 

Theirs was a much sought-after skill, and in the past, many a pyromancer had fallen victim to the onslaught of evil and had been captured and forced to work for strong lords in the lands further south. Fleeing the cruelties of man, the clan had retreated to the far-away inhospitable corners of the world to live in peace. History had seen them instrumental in fighting wars with other lands due to their great power, however, after centuries of turmoil, the Uchiha were tired and wished solely to raise their children to live rather than seeing them perish one by one on the battlefield. 

Mixing the sword with the flame, their fighting style was unique and terrifying- weaving magical sigils with one hand while wielding the broad, long swords of the northern tribes was no easy feat, and the effects were uniquely destructive. Despite being so isolated, the Uchiha clan were still proud of their combat skills, and passed their special techniques down to the younger generations, practicing and training hard to fill up the empty hours in the cold mountain air. Sasuke had been taught the ways of the sword since his very young years, and put his all into it to make his father proud. Most of his flame techniques he learned from his elder brother- there had been no one left alive to properly teach him. Itachi, however, had been very proficient with his fire technique and was the pride of his father and clan. 

Sasuke couldn’t have hoped for a better teacher, but he wished he could have shown his progress to his father, just once, and made him proud. 

As it were, his grasp of the magic was rudimentary at best. He had never had the chance to receive any sort of advanced training, and the long years alone had seen him learn to rely on his swordfighting and close combat skills while neglecting the fire most of the time. 

He shook himself out of his thoughts and focused on the stream not too far away from him. Walking over, he stooped over and filled up his water flask. Bringing it to his lips, he swallowed and the cool, fresh water renewed his energy. 

Attaching the flask to his hip, he stood up and continued on his journey. The flask hung above his sword, which had been taken from his brother’s things. He had chosen it for its simplicity and smaller size compared to more traditional Uchiha clan weapons, however, it was still quite long. Sasuke hoped he wouldn’t stand out too much when he finally reached a town or village. He was unsure of his goal, but he wanted to find lodging for at least a few nights. The endless journeying was starting to get to him, and he was in desperate need of a bath. If possible, he hoped to search for some form of employment, relying on his hunting skills to be of help to someone. More than anything, he wanted to ensure he lived a proper life, one that his brother would be proud of. 

As he walked on, he took comfort in his changing surroundings. It was almost warm enough to switch his heavy fur cloak out for a lighter, woolen one. The birdsong lifted his spirits, and the fresh green foliage signaled the changing of the seasons. Sasuke had lost track of how long he’d already walked for. Of course, he had been prepared for a long, arduous journey, but reality is always harder and longer and full of unexpected obstacles. 

Crossing the small stream, he noticed the subtle changes in the forest. The dark, heavy pines of his home had long given way to larger, bare trees which began to sprout buds as Sasuke traveled. The underbrush became denser and more full of life. If he sat still, very still, and listened as Itachi had once taught him, he heard the rustling of small creatures in the bramble thickets. 

As the bright early afternoon gave way to the stillness of the evening, Sasuke was lost in thoughts of bygone times. His foot, placed carelessly, stumbled on an uneven rock and he slipped, throwing his hand out to balance himself and grabbing onto a nearby tree trunk for balance. The motion brought his head forward and his eyes caught on something stuck on the ground: a particularly marshy patch of forest floor with- what was that? Moving closer to investigate, he crouched down and confirmed his suspicion. There, at the base of a large tree, was a deep footprint. Sasuke’s heart missed a beat and started racing. After all these years, here was a sign of life directly in front of him. His instincts told him the print was no more than a few hours old and came from a heavy individual wearing some sort of boot, and Sasuke’s hopes for a new life came flooding back to him all at once.

Sending his thanks to the ancestors for that rock which had pulled his attention to the ground, he straightened up and began to quicken his pace in the direction of the footstep. Even though he strained his ears, he couldn’t hear anything, but that didn’t dissuade him. His feet felt lighter than ever before. 

As he moved through the lengthening shadows, his ears started to pick up distant sounds of life- metal clanking and an occasional shout pierced the air. He quickened his stride and drew closer to the noise. The trees were starting to thin out, and in the growing darkness, he could spot torch light in the distance. 

More and more voices drifted towards him, and he could see the edge of the trees. Beyond that… a large village unfolded. The ground beneath his feet was wide and flat, with short grass growing every which way. Sasuke emerged from the cover of the trees, shrouded by the darkness which had fallen completely now. To his right, he could make out the main source of light that he’d seen: Two large torches guarding what appeared to be the village gate. Guards, armed with short swords, were chatting amongst themselves and making conversation with entering villagers. 

He drew back into the shadows and maneuvered closer to the entrance. Sitting down, he began to observe the humans and to scope out the situation with a clear head, just as Itachi had taught him. 

The foreign community appeared friendly at first glance. Laughter echoed up to Sasuke’s vantage point as the guards conversed. His eyes strained to make out anything beyond the bright light of the torches across the entrance, but he detected movements inside the low walls of the village. Grasping the pommel of his sword, feeling the worn leather under his palms, he stood up and resolutely moved towards the source of sound. 

As the dark-haired stranger approached the gate, the guards looked up from their game of cards. 

“Good evening. What brings you here?”

Sasuke swallowed, suddenly nervous. The men lounged around in wide, comfortable, open clothing, and Sasuke could tell his northern-style heavy cloak and thick, furred boots stood out. 

“I am a traveller, and I come in search of accommodation. Is there an inn or tavern where I could stay?”

“Well, then, welcome to Everglenn! You’ve come to the right place, here’s lots of nice places around, just keep on straight past the marketsquare and take a look. Where do you hail from? You don’t look as if you’re from around these parts.”  
“I’m from the… north”, Sasuke answered stiffly and moved on quickly. He passed through the gate and dipped into the darkness beyond the bright torch lights. Before him was a long street, with a maze of alleys branching off to either side. Up ahead, the road opened up into a large open space, occupied by people and stalls selling their wares. From behind him, young children raced out of a back street and past him, diving into the fray. He stood still and felt the world spinning around him. Now that he was actually among other humans, his pulse quickened and he felt nervous. Holding his sword tightly, he slipped into the shadow of an alley and leaned against the wall, his breath coming in short, tight pulses. The flickering of the firelight and the raucous voices from a few streets over set his senses on edge, unaccustomed to the din. 

But he’d come so far. There was no way he was turning back now. Steadying his nerves, he slowed his breathing and relaxed. Stepping out of the shadows, he let the light wash over him and moved amongst the people, taking care not to call attention to himself in the dark night.


End file.
